On Monday, 15th February 2020, Kenya Climate Ventures led by CEO Victor Ndiege signed financial agreements with Bungoma-based company Onja Uone Limited and Turkana-based Sunken Limited to help them unlock their growth and innovation potential in the agricultural and clean energy sectors respectively.
“The whole idea is to promote clean energy solutions and agribusiness. Investing in innovative and mutually beneficial sustainable solutions is one of the best ways to address shared climate risks. I believe that through these investments, we will unlock value for all involved parties while building the resilience of key players such as farmers in their supply chains,” Victor Ndiege said.
Onja Uone Limited started operations in 1995 and is in the business of buying and processing macadamia nuts from smallholder farmers. They engage farmers in the entire supply chain from seedlings facilitation, training and agricultural extension services such as seminars and demonstrations and the company is now seeking to venture into the global market place.
“Our goal at the moment is to venture into the international market through export. With this financing, we look forward to getting the necessary certifications with the main objective of attracting the desired markets and expanding our boundaries,” Onja Limited founder Joseph Sitati says.
Sunken Limited on the other hand started green energy operations in 2002. They distribute solar-powered lights, solar-powered irrigation pumps, have a cookstove production facility in Kakuma and are looking forward to tapping into the huge market of Turkana County and spreading their wings to some parts of Uganda and South Sudan with more energy-efficient cookstoves and solar-powered products.
“There is no path to protecting the climate without dramatically changing how we produce and use electricity. Through this award, we look forward to accelerating the use of green energy solutions in Turkana county by tapping into the huge market and partnering with more institutions to urgently harness climate-driven responses to help deliver climate-smart solutions,” Sunken Limited CEO Christine Atego says.
The two enterprises are providing agribusiness and clean energy solutions with the objective of attaining commercial sustainability and transforming the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and communities who are at a high risk of experiencing the effects of climate change.
Kenya Climate Ventures (KCV) is an impact investment management company keen on supporting business models to better deliver both resilience and commercial outcomes for communities in Kenya.
